The DKMS 2011 was full of marvelous moments. I was able to meet with many Buyu that I see around the world in different seminars around the year, and with so many others that have the chance of meet once a year in Japan, and all of them enjoy the teachings of Sôke. This is without a doubt a treasure for our lives.

The result of training, beautiful teachings and frienship, is what we can name Bujinkan Dojo. There were many interesting teachings from Soke during the Daikomyosai 2011, some of them united with the past and some proyecting us to the future. I need to digest within time so many sensations and reflexions.

I feel that learning, sharing and following the Bufu Ikkan, is a way of finding the Shingitai 心 技 体 (union of heart, technique and body), however, without depending of others, we must understand that the path in individual, and sometimes even solitary. Even Miyamoto Musashi created a series of precepts that he put together with the title of Following The Lonely Path.

According to Masaaki Hatsumi Sôke, “There is an expression that is the key on the philosophy of martial arts that is called Bufu Ikkan 武風 一貫 (righteous martial wind) The experience tells me that artists, whether are dedicated to ballet, music or painting, when they stop practicing a couple of days and return to it, always suffer a loss of faculties, at least the first time after the break”.

During this year, Sôke told me that he gave some 15 of his Yugodan students, the title of maestry of the Bufu Ikkan Shingitai. Sôke said that is a recognition for some who kept training during many years, without stopping, managing the escential sence of the Bufu Ikkan and trough this, being able to achieve the feeling of uniting the technique, body and heart (心技体 Shingitai).

Surely and little by little, many 15 dan will get this special recognition. Today I feel honored of being one of them, and being able to give breath to those who are making a marvelous effort of training with the heart. While translating the certificate, I found a connection with a part of the letter Soke wrote to me 3 years ago, with the introduction for my book Ninpo & Budo;

“Until today, the Ninpô and Budô of the Bujinkan, it’s universe, was trasnsmitted and protected whitin communion with God as a secret with the power of the isshi sôden (knowledge transmission from pather to son). This implied the transmision of Magokoro (escence of the soul), in other words the transmission of the Budoka’s soul through the bufu. Happily, Christian Petroccello, who through a lot of time in the Bujinkan Dojo have manage the fusion of Shin Gi Tai and Bufu, has decided to publish this new book. It is a great joy for me”.

Maybe this certificate is the official feeling on paper over the words from Sôke many years ago, but I’m sure that it’ll also serve as inspiration for practitioners all around the world. I feel that many will be able to keep training with enthusiasm on the right direction of the Bufu from Soke, and achieve the Shin Gi Tai.

Sôke once wrote; “when a person makes a pause during training, later is not capable of recognizing he’s own mistakes. And this not only happens in the world of success and failure, as independently from the world you live in, the long pauses during training can make you end up in the aseptic mountain of Kume (Okayama Prefecture). According to the leyend, Kume no Sennin was and old ascet Budist who gained special powers from training with constancy, but feel on disgrace after being seduced by the legs of a woman that was washing in the river”.

Maybe, just like the legs of a beautiful woman that made Kume loose, the atractive that can make us dissipate may be a lot of other things, maybe a better job, power, money, or even the tough, emotional or psicologic times. Even if the mind is clouded, the teachings of the master can be misunderstanded. Many things can deviate us from the path and make us loose the right path of training. Being able to return to the path, requires courage and bravery, and I applaud those who could, and those who are trying.

I encourage everyone to keep training beyond their doubts and concerns, and as always go deep in reflection and observation of the true motivations of training.